Love and Redemption
by Forgotten Honor
Summary: The time is now. Revan must redeem himself in the eyes of the galaxy and stop the chaos of Malak's reign. But most of all, he must save the woman he loves... A KotOR Fanfic Please Review
1. Chapter 1

Love and Redemption Part 1

**Love and Redemption Part 1**

Revan sat in the copilot's seat in the Ebon Hawk, a seat usually reserved for Bastila. He reached out and gently placed his hands on the control grid, as though he was reaching out to the residual energy left from her touch. Revan closed his eyes; focusing on the _real_ reason he was going to board the Star Forge. Yes, Malak needed to be stopped. Yes, the fate of the galaxy lay in his hands. But, all those could wait compared to Bastila...

When Revan and Bastila had dueled on the top of the temple, he felt his heart had been torn to shreds. He had been afraid to use his full strength against Bastila fearing injuring her on his part. Revan therefore forced the duel to go neither way, for or against the other. At first it had seemed she would keep fighting, but he had felt something in her stay her hand and forced her to flee. Now he had to face her once more and bring the light back to the surface...

"Hang on!" Carth shouted to the crew of the Ebon Hawk, forcing Revan back to the present. "This is going to be rough!"

Anti-fighter turrets opened up on the red and white freighter as she ducked and rolled to avoid the incoming fire. A Jedi fighter exploded as it failed to avoid a blast from the Forge. Another soon joined its comrade in becoming one with the force upon meeting the same fate. Revan heard a crash in the back of the ship after a Carth executed a perfect barrel-roll and heard a long string of curses, including some Revan had never heard before, escape Jolee's mouth.

"Fly straight, you orange jacket wearing, nerf herding, hutt-spawned--"

Jolee was about to complete his comment when Mission, in the Ebon Hawk's turret, blew away a Sith Interceptor that got too close. Mission's victory yells were heard all over the ship.

"I got him! I got him!"

"Great, kid," Canderous' rough voice, responded through the din. "Don't get cocky!"

Within moments, the Hawk had landed in one of the Forges hangers with the remaining Jedi landing right next to them or finding other hangers. Revan unbuckled himself from his seat and leaped to his feet, once again the valiant commander from the Mandalorian War.

"Canderous, HK, you're with me!" Revan called. "The rest of you stay here and defend the ship."

As everyone rushed to his or her tasks, Jolee stopped and looked Revan over. "You sure you want to wear that, lad?"

It was the robes Revan had worn during his time as the Republic leader in the Mandalorian war and as the recent Sith Lord. For some unexplained reason, Bastila had hidden them in a secret compartment on the Hawk before leaving Dantooine and they had only been recently rediscovered. Revan put his right hand on his chest and looked deep in Jolee's eyes.

"I cannot deny who I was or what I did as Darth Revan," he pronounced. "But I am not him anymore! And just as I have been reborn, so have these robes!"

It was true. Upon putting on the old Jedi garments, their usual black and red had been changed to gray and gold. Perhaps the light side Revan had now accepted had caused the change. But whatever the reasons, he was now truly reborn. Jolee nodded in satisfaction and joined the others with Revan just as the first Sith wave arrived and were attacked by the Jedi accompanying them.

"We'll hold them! You go!" Carth yelled as his pistols were whipped out of their custom holsters and he began firing away.

Revan, Canderous, and HK dove into the nearest elevator, watching through the closing doors as the rest of the crew rushed the numerous Sith. With a hiss and clank, the elevator closed and began to rise the remaining three to whatever destiny awaited them in the Star Forge.

The doors on the elevator opened revealing a squad of troopers about to get on board. Both parties stared for a moment, dumbstruck.

Finally one of the Sith troopers yelled, "Blast them!"

They never got the chance as Revan blew them backward with a Force-push while HK and Canderous finished off the rest who didn't fall off the walkway. Once the brief encounter was over, the three quickened their pace. The enemy knew where they were now, and they had to move if they wanted to reach Bastila and Malak.

Before long, Revan and the others reached a sealed door. Canderous was about to set charges when Revan, sensing danger, pulled Canderous back so quickly the Mandalorian bowled the two of them over.

"What are you--"

The answer to Canderous' unfinished question was soon known as the doors exploded in flying shrapnel and flame! Revan quickly threw up a shield with the Force, protecting the party from the debris. Through the smoke appeared a tall figure in red.

"Malak?" Revan cried, surprised.

It wasn't. A tall red assault droid appeared in the doorway, flanked by almost fifty more of them.

"As though we didn't have enough droid problems..." Canderous muttered as he threw two ion grenades and opened fire with his repeating blaster.

The droids began firing their own weapons in response as the three heroes pressed forward. Revan drew both his short and long lightsaber and began deflecting blaster bolts and slashing any unfortunate droid that came too close. HK used his modified sniper rifle to make more powerful and precise shots into the group of red droids, taking out two or three at a time as the blasts penetrated their armor through and through. Within 10 minutes, only a handful of droids remained. Revan finished these ones off by using his light side lightning to short circuit their systems and turn them into smoldering scrap piles.

"Query: Master, are their going to be more of these droids as we continue?" HK inquired Revan as he slapped a fresh clip into his sniper rifle. "I like a proper challenge."

"Well, these droids were probably made by the Star Forge, so I would think so..."

"Thanks for pulling me out of there, Revan," Canderous said gratefully, though it still sounded a bit gruff. "Now I owe you one..."

"We need to get moving," Revan ordered after acknowledging Canderous. "The droids aren't standing around talking, so neither should we."

As the party began to move forward again, Revan's thoughts went out to Bastila who was somewhere in the Star Forge. "Please, let me find you, my love...and let me save you..."


	2. Chapter 2

Love and Redemption Part 2

**Love and Redemption Part 2**

Revan spun his short lightsaber in his left hand, the green blade reflecting a salvo of blaster bolts back towards a group of Star Forge droids standing next to the Sith Grenadiers. The blasts hit the droids head on. Some of the droids exploded into many fragments, which in turn either shredded the Grenadiers standing too close or set off the grenades on another and causing even more carnage. Revan then spun the long lightsaber in his right hand behind his back, forcing a Dark Jedi Apprentice to step back from the swinging blade into a blaster bolt from Canderous' heavy repeating blaster. The Apprentice hit the deck hard next to HK-47. The assassin/protocol droid, holding it's blaster rifle in it's right hand, whipped out a blaster pistol with it's left and fired two rounds point blank into the dead Apprentice's back.

"That Sith give you a bad look, HK?" Revan asked, sardonically, as he slashed the arm off a red-armored heavy Sith trooper. "She was already dead."

"Answer: Negative, master," HK responded, knocking a slow Sith Apprentice off the platform with a blaster shot. "I was merely following the rules of combat."

"Rule number 18: always make sure their dead," Canderous explained while tossing a thermal detonator into a doorway, blowing more Star Forge droids into shrapnel.

"Approving statement: Exactly. Master, I rather like this meatbag."

"Revan, tell the tin-head if he wants to stay on my good side, he won't call me 'meatbag' ever again."

The three companions cleared the rest of platform before continuing on. They finally came upon the door leading to the Star Forge control room. Three Dark Jedi Knights unfortunately, guarded it. The knights drew their lightsabers with cries for blood and started charging toward the heroes. Before Revan and the others could react, three figures in gray uniforms leapt from the rafters and landed behind the Sith with swings of their red sabers, the Dark Jedi collapsing within minutes! Revan was surprised, but his surprise deepened after seeing who the gray figures were.

"Yuthura!" Revan exclaimed, seeing the redeemed female twi'lek from the Sith academy. "Dustil! Mekel! What are you doing here?"

"Helping you, of course," Mekel stated. "I still owe you my life for what you did in the tomb on Korriban."

"We all owe you something, Revan," Yuthura added. "You convinced us and many others that our decisions were wrong and led us back to the light."

"The others are here too," Dustil said quickly. "Dak, Kel, and the others from the cave. They're helping my father and the rest of your crew defend the Ebon Hawk."

"There are more Sith," said Mekel. "We and your two friends can keep them from following you on."

Revan looked at each former Sith and did not reply immediately. His eyes were beaming with pride. He could sense each of them at peace with the Force.

Finally he nodded: "This is for the best. I must make the final steps of this long path alone. But knowing I have allies like you will strengthen me."

Everybody, even HK, beamed at Revan and took up positions by the door as he stepped through to face his destiny. As the doors hissed shut, he thought he heard one of them say, "May the Force be with you, our friend..."

Revan exited the opposite door and entered the Star Forge control room. In the center was a large holo-grid displaying the space battle surrounding the Star Forge, the Rakatan station taking up the majority of the room by itself. However Revan's eyes were drawn to the lone silhouette kneeling in the center of the room in front of the holo-grid.

"Revan, I knew you'd come." Bastila stood and turned, facing him, her yellow eyes gleaming cruelly. Her saberstaff was held in her right hand.

"Bastila," Revan swallowed. He knew that here was his only chance to bring his love back to the light. "Please, reject the dark path. Can't you see that it will only end in death?"

"That is the way of the Sith, Revan," Bastila replied, her stance unwavering. "Only the strongest survive. You followed that path long ago."

"And I turned away from it, you can do the same, too. Please, Bastila, I have no wish to fight you," Revan said earnestly. "I will not fight you."

"Then you will die!" Bastila cried, extending both the blades of her saberstaff.

Revan activated his own lightsabers, their green glow ever so bright, reflecting that of the hologram in the room's center. Bastila leapt into the air bringing her staff spinning down. Revan side-stepped and brought his blades to the defense position. Bastila stabbed and swung with her blades, probing Revan for an opening. Revan gave ground again and again as he blocked the blows, he was caught by surprise of the ferocity of Bastila's technique and he did not wish to harm her. Bastila brought one of her blades dangerously close to Revan's face which he barely dodged, the blade singed the skin over his left eye leaving a crescent shaped wound and blinding him on that side. Revan cried in pain and leapt back onto the holo-grid, distorting the images from it. He looked at Bastila, a fearsome visage with one eye scarred and glazed over and the other normal. He knew that if he did not fight her seriously now, she would not turn back. Revan stood, raised his lightsabers and connected the ends of the hilts to each other with a click. He now held a saberstaff as well, but while one side was short the other was long. Bastila's brow furrowed with confusion.

"It makes no difference what you do," she sneered with her full lips curled. "I am strengthened here on the Star Forge. You have no chance against me, now."

"You're wrong, Bastila," Revan replied. "I can sense the good in you, the conflict."

"There is no conflict," Bastila spat. "Shut up!"

"You couldn't bring yourself to leave me to die when Malak betrayed me, I don't think you will kill me now..."

"If you will not face your destiny, you will be destroyed!" Bastila cried, charging again.

Revan immediately moved into a counter strike, holding his staff's long blade under Bastila's chin following a successful parry. Bastila's surprise faded quickly as she knocked aside the blade and stepped back into the defense. Revan moved forward, twirling his staff as he marched, Bastila barely keeping up with him. At last Bastila gained some distance and charged once more. As their blades clashed, neither moved but their upper bodies as they clashed saberstaff against neo-saberstaff. The lightning from the contact of the red and green blades danced in the air to the sound of the clashing swords.

Finally, Revan chopped Bastila's blade in half, leaving one blade in each hand and forcing her to leap back again, panting.

"You grow weary, Revan," she bluffed. "Soon you will fall, as will the Jedi and the Republic soon after."

"I will not fight you, Bastila," Revan glared at the yellow eyes he had known so well for he recognized the path he had once taken. "I will not raise my blade in my defense. I leave myself open for your attack."

Bastila seemed taken aback as he spread his arms to his side and dropped his neo-saberstaff to the ground. She hesitated, confused as to his actions.

"What is this? You gamble your life willingly, thinking I won't attack you? This is a dangerous game, Revan..."

"I know you won't attack me, Bastila." Revan gazed at her calmly: "I know because I love you, and that love will bring you back."

Bastila's twinkling eyes stared at him for a long time, long enough to make Revan start to wonder perhaps he was wrong: "Some would think you foolish for such a decision, Revan. But...you are a correct fool."

Bastila's gaze fell to the floor. When she lifted her face again, her eyes had changed back to that calming gray Revan loved: "I cannot bring myself to strike you down..."

Bastila dropped her severed blades and began to break down, her body began shaking and sobbing uncontrollably. Revan came forward and embraced her.

"It's okay... I'm here now…" He cooed.

"Revan…I…I…" Struggling with words, Bastila attempted to apologize. But Revan gently put his fingers on her lips to stop her from continuing.

"You will have to face Malak," after a while Bastila said, still resting her head on Revan's armored and robed chest.

"I know," Revan replied. "I'd ask you to come, but--"

"It will only endanger me. Go, my love, I can use my battle meditation to empower the Republic fleet from here."

Revan looked down into Bastila's eyes. "'My love?' You no longer fear love?"

"I could never fear anything knowing you love me as much as I love you, Revan," Bastila grinned.

Revan lowered his face and kissed her gently and tenderly. Bastila returned the kiss the same way, each other's Force auras swirling together like water from two streams. They finally broke their passionate moment, and without a word, just a look of love and a nod, they turned to their tasks. Bastila returned to her kneeling position and restarted her Battle Meditation to aid the Republic. Revan called his lightsabers back to his hand as he headed to the doorway leading him to his next objective. He had some unfinished business with a certain Sith Lord...


	3. Chapter 3

Love and Redemption Part 3

**Love and Redemption Part 3**

Revan moved past the series of consoles and machinery in the hallway without a single glance. There was only one thing in mind as he moved toward the door at the end of the hallway, Malak. He had been an amazing Jedi, and an even greater friend. But now they were the worst of enemies. Why? What had Revan been thinking as he had corrupted his own friend and comrade Jedi into a Sith?

Malak had to be stopped, there was only one other option; and Revan had no intention of surrender or retreat. But could he strike down his own brother? Revan's only hope for avoiding conflict was to appeal to the good man Malak had once been and turn him back to the light side. It seemed impossible, but Revan could not call himself a Jedi or a friend if he didn't at least try.

Finally, Revan reached the doorway. Before he could even reach the console to unlock it, it opened to reveal a tall, red-mesh armored figure. Darth Malak. Malak strode toward Revan past two Jedi being strangled through the Force without Malak even raising his hand. Malak stopped and looked over his shoulder at the Jedi. His lightsaber sprang from his belt activating and slicing the first Jedi in two. At the same time, Malak used a frightening display of Force-lightning on the remaining Knight, frying him to a crisp. Malak then turned his pale, bald head toward Revan, who was doing his best to not let his anger get the best of him.

"I tire of these games, Revan," Malak growled in his menacing mechanical voice. "You and the Republic are nothing but thorns in my side. You have no hope of victory over me here on the Star Forge."

"It's not too late, Malak," Revan desperately begged his friend. "The council saved me, if you surrender they can do they same for you."

"You call wiping your mind clean like a slate and forging a false identity for you 'saving you,' Revan? You are even more of a fool than I would have thought."

"Please, Malak. You were a good man once. You--"

"I was a fool, a coward, and weak! I am none of those things anymore; I have surpassed you!"

"Malak, don't make me fight you."

"Fight me?" Malak chuckled evilly. "You can't even hope to compare to me, Revan. Rather, I'll leave your execution to the Star Forge itself!"

The doors slammed shut and locked with a hiss. Revan heard the humming of machinery and turned just in time to see 7, 8, 9--10 Star Forge droids deploy and begin to train their weapons him! Revan fired his light side lightning at the droids and deflected their blaster-shots with his saberstaff, destroying almost all of them at once. But then more droids deployed and the process continued. Revan was being slowly backed into a corner by the overwhelming surge of droids. For every one he cut down, two more would take its place. Revan was barely an inch away from the wall when once again, from above the wicked received their just reward. Rakatan Elders and their battle droids leapt down and began engaging the Star Forge droids. After a brief moment of surprise, Revan quickly had the Rakatan rally around him and start pushing the enemy back. A Rakatan field scientist ran away from the group and began slicing a control console before anyone could say otherwise. Within moments, more battle droids began deploying from the machines and began fighting beside Revan and the remaining Rakatan Elder Warriors. At last the final droid was turned into a scrap heap.

"Why did you come here?" Revan asked the captain of the Rakatan. "I thought this was to be carried out by me alone. And how did you get inside?"

"To answer your first question," the captain answered calmly. "You have done far more than your share of the bargain, Revan, and helped us immensely. We are here to repay the debt. As to your second question, it does not matter, for the secret will be lost when the Star Forge is destroyed..."

"I thank you for your aid. You must now leave with your wounded, Malak is my problem. And I don't think there is enough room on my ship to hold you all."

The captain nodded and began giving orders his guttural speech to his warriors as Revan stepped onto the elevator and prepared for the final duel with Malak. One way or another, it would all end here...

Revan stepped off the elevator once the doors reopened. The room he entered had to be the central spire. It was spacious like the rest of the ship, but windows on the walls showed the space battle outside. Lining the walls were strange bacta tanks that held people suspended in them but had no bacta. At the center of the room, with his back to Revan, stood Malak. Revan detached the short lightsaber from the bottom of the long lightsaber and reattached it to top. If Malak did not turn, Revan would have to use the form he had created in order to defeat Mandalore the Ultimate at the end of the Mandalorian War years ago.

As Revan slowly approached Malak turned to face him: "Well done, Revan. I did not think you would survive the Star Forge's droid army. In another time, I would have stripped of your will and made you my apprentice, as I did Bastila."

"Malak, turn back to the light. The dark side only will destroy you. If you turn, you may yet be shown mercy by the council."

"Enough! I have heard these words before, Revan, and I will give you the same answer. The only way one of us shall escape, is by killing the other."

Without another word, Malak activated his extended lightsaber and charged. Revan, without blinking, activated the short blade to defend against Malak. Malak brought his lightsaber forward for a one handed thrust. Revan blocked his blade quickly and pushed him away. Malak spun, swinging his saber at Revan's exposed legs. Leaping over Malak's head, Revan kicked back hitting Malak on the back of the head. Angrily, Malak spun and swung at Revan's midsection. This was it. Revan pulled the lightsaber hilts apart, activating a connecting green beam between the two and combining with the shortblade. The attack from Malak hit the center beam of the saber-spear, catching him totally by surprise. Revan forced Malak's blade down and stabbed! Malak managed to shift his chest away from the blade, but his shoulder caught the strike, releasing a cry of pain from within his mask. Malak turned and ran toward one of the bacta tanks, Revan watched him with his grip on his saber-spear still tight. What was Malak up to, now?

"I commend you, Revan. Few could ever catch me by surprise like that. But as much fun as this reunion has been, it is time for it to end."

"What are you talking about, Malak?" Revan asked cautiously, eyeing the tank Malak stood next to.

"When you first found the Star Forge, Revan, all you saw was a factory of an endless fleet," Malak said arrogantly. "But in many ways, this station is a living being, capable of so much more.

"Take a look around you," Malak spread his good arm and gestured. "You should recognize your fellow Jedi from the enclave. Taken from the bombardment, and in all respects dead, except for one difference."

Malak gave Revan an evil look with his yellow eyes: "I have not allowed them to become one with the Force. Now, witness the full power of the Star Forge!"

Before Revan could move to stop him, Malak drained all the power from the floating Jedi into himself leaving a blackened, empty shell still floating in the tank. The wound on Malak's shoulder shrunk as the tissue reformed itself with the dark side. Revan could almost feel a scream of agony in the Force, and looked at Malak with pure sadness and disappointment.

"You have allowed the dark side to twist your mind," Revan spoke quietly. "Until now, you've become the very thing we swore to destroy..."

"Don't lecture me, Revan. I offer only this one chance to you to surrender, otherwise if you're not with me, you are my enemy."

"Only a Sith speaks in absolutes," Revan spoke with sadness in his heart. "I will do what I must..."

As Malak's blade extended, he replied: "You will try..."

Revan leapt at Malak the same time he did, their lightsabers sending sparks to the floor! They landed on their feet and continued to slash, stab, parry, and block with their sabers. Slowly, Revan began to be pushed back as Malak increased the ferocity of his offense. Revan realized the only chance he had was to release the trapped Jedi, allowing their residual Force energy to strengthen him. Using Force-push, Revan sent Malak spinning backwards and prepared for the biggest release of light side lightning he could summon! Raising his hand into the air, the energy struck all remaining bacta tanks and released the Jedi spirits from their torment, allowing them to become one with the Force.

The rush of energy was incredible, almost making Revan think he could have floated without trying! Malak screamed in rage and attacked again with another thrust. Revan moved with the grace of a flock of birds in migration, and with the speed of the fastest cat. He parried Malak's blow and retaliated so fast that Malak could barely move fast enough to block it. Revan leapt into the air and swung at Malak, this time using Malak's parry against him as he leaned and carried himself through the air behind Malak, stabbing three times as he went. Malak again barely blocked the blows, but the third one nicked him in the arm. Revan landed in another ready position and struck again.

Blow after blow was made, even after the effect of the energy wore off Revan still had the advantage. But within Revan's mind, he was in conflict with himself. He had had several opportunities to finish off Malak but had not taken them. All things aside, he was still his old friend. Revan did not want to kill him.

Leaping back, Revan landed on a ramp at the top. "It's over, Malak," he cried. "I have the high ground!"

"You underestimate my power, Revan," Malak responded, bending his knees.

"Don't try it!" Revan warned.

Ignoring him, Malak leapt. As he attempted to sail over Revan, Revan responded by slashing twice in the air with his saber, cutting off Malak's right arm and across his stomach! With a cry of pain and disbelief, Malak fell down to the deck. He managed to raise himself into a sitting-up position using a pillar, his left hand covering the slash on his stomach. Revan destroyed Malak's fallen saber with a flick of his wrist then deactivated his own while making his way to the Sith Lord's position.

"I-Impossible," Malak coughed through his mask. "I cannot be defeated. I-I am the dark lord of the Sith..."

"This is the way of the dark side, Malak," Revan said quietly, as he lowered himself onto one knee to look Malak in the face. "All things end in death."

"St-Still spouting the wisdom of the Jedi, I see. Perhaps there is more truth in their code than I ever believed..."

Malak returned Revan's gaze with his own, his eyes no longer yellow. "I cannot help, but wonder, Revan: what if I had been the one the Jedi captured, and not you? Could I have turned aside the path you led me on, renounced the dark side, as you did?"

Revan sighed and put his hand on his friend's shoulder, comfortingly. "I apologize for leading you down the dark path, Malak. But you made the decision to follow it."

"I see now... I must take responsibility for my own actions. I chose this path, I must take the blame. I wanted to be Dark Lord, but that fate was not mine. It may have once been yours, but never mine..."

Malak coughed again, this time much harder. He raised his gaze to the new scar on Revan's left eye: "Revan, before you go; Bastila, did you kill her?"

"No, my friend."

"That is good, for she loves you, and I think you love her too. She is a strong woman, take care of her, Revan."

"I will, my friend. You may rest assured, I will."

"Good. Now, as the darkness takes me...I am nothing..."

Revan let the tears run freely as he watched his lifelong friend and former comrade dying in front of him. The shudder in the deck finally tore his mind to reality: "You must go, Revan."

Revan left the observation deck and moved quickly to the hangar. Upon reaching it, the crew, the remaining former Sith students, and Bastila were all waiting for him. Everyone was soon on the Hawk without a word.

Carth leapt into the pilots seat. "Let's go!" He cried as he punched the gas. The Ebon Hawk whirred and coughed...and did not budge.

"It's damaged?!" Carth cried incredulously as he stared blank faced at the controls. "It must have taken damage to the engines in the battle!"

Before anyone could respond, though, the ship lurched forward at an unbelievable speed! Revan reached out upon feeling the Force and looked out the view port toward the hangar of the exploding Star Forge where the Malak's body was slumped.

_Take care of her, Revan_, was all he heard in the Force-message before a beam fell and blocked Malak from sight...

After the awards ceremony on Rakata Prime, Revan sought out solitude on the beach. He sat on a rock, staring out onto the vast body of water, until Bastila appeared and turned Revan toward her and kissed him on the scar over his left eye.

"There was nothing you could do," she said softly.

"I can't believe he's gone," Revan replied, even quieter. "I will never be able to forgive myself, but at least I was able to see the good man he was, one last time."

"Everything works out in the end, my love...it always has...and always will..."

"I know...and I am glad you are the one to tell me this...'kinrath-pup face.'"

Bastila's eyes widened in shock and anger at Revan's tease. "I do not look like--"

She was cut off immediately as Revan pulled her forward and kissed her deeply and lovingly, soon she returned the kiss just as passionately. Revan would keep his promise to Malak, his friend, he would take care of Bastila, and he would always love her even after he became one with the Force...

**The End**


End file.
